Wood heel grooving machine



Feb. 23', 1932.

H. -w. Russ 1,846,615

WOOD HEEL GROOVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 /2 II I i jitveifiwr,

"Feb. 23, 1932. H. w. RUSS 1,846,615

WOOD HEELGROOVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, 1932. w, uss 1,846,615

WOOD HEEL GROOVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 23, 1932. H. w. Russ 1,846,615

WOOD HEEL GROOVING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARLEY W. RUSS, OF HAVERHITIL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY WOOD HEEL GROOVINO- MACHINE Application filed September 13, 1922. Serial No. 587,893.

In the manufacture of French or Louis wood heels, one of the operations is known as the grooving operation, which consists in the formation of the heel breast surface on the heel blank, the intersection of this surface with the central longitudinal vertical plane of the heel being concave, and deepest in the portion adjacent the heel-seat portion. (Such a condition is hereinafter termed vertical concavity.) This operation has usually been performed by a rotary cutter, which is rotated at high speed, While the heel 1s firmly clamped in a jack. The cut is usually made horizontally transversely of the heel,

and on account of the numerous variations in curvature from base to tread face on different styles of heels, the cutter blades are varied in shape at their edges according to the curvature required. The cutter has been rotated about an axis which is approximately parallel to the vertical axis of the heel, the blank being moved transversely or sidewise, past the cutter, which results in the formation of a cylindrical surface having a horizontal generatrix.

This type of heel is also usually provided with a breast lip, which extends forwardly beyond the general location of the main portion of its breast surface, and, when the heel is in position on the shoe, extends into the shank portion of the shoe beyond what may be considered as the normal heel seat. This breast lip is butted against a shoulder cut in the sole, so that a tongue, which is split from the sole, may be laid over the heel breast surface, providing a continuous unbroken leather surface from the sole surface to the toplift. The shank surface of the sole is usually rounded or transversely convex downwardly, and, as the external contour of the breast lip on the heel should be substantially continuous with the sole surface, satisfactory results are secured only by rounding the lower surface of the breast lip correspondingly into a downwardly convex form. In consequence it has been customary, prior to my invention, to round off the surface of the breast lip at each side by a subsequent operation called shank scouring, which has been done by hand on a sand wheel, requires great and the lower side of the lip blend so that a ridge will not be formed where the surfaces meet, and, if it is desired to remove tracesof such a ridge, extra hand work is usually necessary, all of which involves extra expense.

Accordingly, a principal object of my invention is to rovide a machine which will form the required curved lip surface, of any desired curvature, on the blank. Preferably, also, the machine will form simultaneously the breast surface and lip wrface as one continuous surface. Advantageously, also, provision is made for trimming the lip at the same time. The illustrated machine forms not only the usual vertically concave breast surface from top to heel-seat portion, but, at the same time, trims the lip and forms a downwardly convex surface on the lower side of the lip to make it blend with the lower side of the shoe shank, producing a perfect blending of all the surfaces of different curvature which are thus simultaneously formed and obviating two of. the three operations heretofore performed, with their resulting expense and inaccuracy, and permitting such variations in the extent of curvature as may be des1re In the case of the illustrated machine these results are secured by forming the breast surface and lower side of'the lip surface simultaneously as a portion of a surface of revolution, more definitely speaking, as a portion of one side of an annulus of revolution,

blank; that is, the heel-seat portion of the blank lies between the said axis and the toplift portion. The surface formed on the blank will be the aggregate of a series of circles all having their centers in the axis of rotation. The lower surface of the lip, back to the deepest part of the breast curve, will be formed of circular arcs lying in vertical planes lying side by side, horizontally back along the lip; and the breast surface will be formed of such arcs lying one nearly above the other. A little consideration will show that a surface formed of such elements has, among others, all the characteristics enumerated above as desirable; the vertical concavity of the surface formed is determined more or less directly by the shape of the cutting edge which is concerned in the formation of the surface of revolution spoken of, the lower surface of the lip is downwardly convex (more or less, as desired, depending on the adjustment of the distance of the axis of rotation from the heel-seat portion of the heel blank) and'the lower surface of the lip and the breast surface are horizontally convex and concave respectively, the sharpness of the horizontal curvature increasing from the junction of the lip and the breast out to their outer ends. Furthermore, the whole surface thus generated is perfectly smooth and its different portions blend into one another without ridges.

In the illustrated machine, the axis of relative rotation spoken of above is the axis of rotation of the cutter head itself. The cutter blades aremounted to project from the cutthe relative movement in the illustrated macurved lip surfaces are being formed.

Prior to my invention, heels of the abovedescribed type have almost invariably been made straight for use on either right or left shoes, but, in view of the fact that the middle line of the shank portion of a shoe is somewhat oblique to and falls outside of the general longitudinal axis or middle line of the shoe, (the line'from the heel end to the toe), the extent of this obliquity bein often particularly great on shoes to which irench heels are usually attached, it follows that if an ordinary French heel is attached so that it aligns with the shoe as a whole, the breast lip portion which extends into the shank will not align properly with this portion of the shoe, and the inside toplift corner will appear to be relatively too far forward.

The heel attaching operator endeavors to correct this by throwing the breast of the heel around a little to the inside of the shoe, which causes poor fittin at the heel seat. I have ascertained that if the breast surface and lip are formed at an angleto the middle longitudinal vertical plane of the finished heel with the inside of the breast thrown backward relatively to the outside, the heel can be placed to fit the heel seat and to line up properly withthe shank of the shoe, and the breast and toplift will appear to line up properly with the forepart and toe, and the result will be more satisfactory to the eye than where a straight heel adapted for either a right or left shoe is used, the results, from a standpoint of good shoemaking, being greatly improved.

Accordingly, a further object of my invention is to provide a machine which is adapted to form the heel-breast surface at an appreciable inclination from the erpendicular to the central vertical longitudinal plane of the heel, at either side, so that heels which are especially adapted for both right and left shoes may be produced, and accordingly an important feature of the invention consists in means for angularly displacing the central longitudinal vertical plane of the blank relatively to the cutter or tool, to produce the described result.

I accomplish this object by providing a jack or heel blank holding means which is not only adapted to hold the blank in such a position that its middle longitudinal vertical plane is parallel to the axis of relative rota tion above discussed, but is also adapted to be laterally adjusted in either direction from this position, so that said middle plane is somewhat oblique to said axis and the breast surface which is formed will therefore be correspondingly inclined at either angle from the normal, or perpendicular to the middle plane of the heel.

It is desirable to have a machine of this type as nearly automatic as possible, so that all that it will be necessary for the operator to do will be to insert and remove the blank, because the cut is very heavy and in order to prevent tearing of the blank or damage to the machine it is advisable that the blank be fed into it at the optimum rate, a result which can be secured only automatically.

With these conditions in view, further objects of my invention are to provide said machine with automatic means for feeding adapted to be connected to the blank holding means and to move the blank up to the cutter at a predetermined speed which cannot be increased by any tendency-of the cutter to dig into the blank.

- For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 21s a plan view thereof, the top portion of the jack being shown as cut away.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the wedges which are employed in adjusting the heel blank holder.- I

Figs. 5, 8 and 9 are respectively side, plan and front views of the heel blank, after the grooving operation has been performed.

Fig. 6 is a combined side elevation and central vertical section of the machine, with the parts in the position of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the feed disconnecting means. g

Fig. 10 is front elevation of the cutter and housing. ,7

Fig. 11 is a detail view of a cutter blade.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectionalwiew, at line aa of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view, at line bb of Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view, similar to Fig. 12, showing an adjustment of the jack to an oblique position.

As shown in the drawings, the table 1 has a bearing 2 mounted thereon, in which the cutter shaft 3 is journaled, said shaft being rotated, in practice, at high speed. A cutter head 4 is mounted on the shaft, said head having three radial arms in each of which a blade 5 is adjustably mounted, as shown in Fig. 6 in an obliquely radially disposed position and in position to project axially beyond the front face of the head at a desired distance from the axis thereof, the seats against which the edges of the blades are clamped extending convergently toward the axis. The cutting edges 5 thereof, which are at the ends of the blades, are correspondingly arranged, and project axially beyond the face of the head, and are formed to shape the proper longitudinal contour of the heel" breast surface to be formed, and be so arranged that the edge portion which is to form the portion of the surface adjacent the heel-seat portion of the heel shall be the portion nearer the axis. The blank, as will be seen, is located base side down, above the axis of the cutter head, and is fedtoward it along a path lying generally in the direction ofthe axis. .Thus, in the formation of a heel of the t pe referred to, the portion of the cutting edge ofthe blade which-forms the surface on the lip of the breast will describe the inner periphery of the annular pathdescribed by the cutting ed es, while the portion which forms the sur ace adjacent thetop will describe the outer periphery of said path. It will be understood that there is a portion of said path at its front side the tangent to which is perpendicular to the axis of the cutter, this corresponding to the deepest portion of the concavity which is formed. .It follows, therefore, that the surface formed by such a cutter as is shown in F ig.'11 between this point of tangency and the axis will be convex, both in a horizontal plane and in a vertical transverse plane, starting from flat and increasing in convexity to the end of the lip, and that the surface formed beyond said point of tangency will, in like manner, be increasingly concave, when observed in the same planes (the vertical concavity in a longitudinal vertical plane depending on the shape of the cutter blades), as will be seen from the illustration of the-blank after it has been operated as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 11. It will further be apparent that the extent of convexity and concavity in transverse vertical planes at any point will depend on the distance thereof from the axis, so that, where it is desired, for example, to increase the convexity of the breast lip, the blades and the work will be supported in closer proximity. to the cutter axis. While this may be accomplished by providin means for radial adjustment of the blades, as shown in Fig. 6,

I prefer to provide substitute cutter heads which will hold the blades at different radial.

distances. The hand wheel 16, as will be seen,

A blade 50 is secured to the side of each arm of the cutter head 4, in position to trim the end of the breast lip, as shown in Fig. 11.

A metal housing 6 is mounted on the table 1 and is arranged completely aboutthe cutter, being closed at all sides except that an opening 1s providedin the front side thereof directly in front of the middle portion of the cutter, which is adapted'to be entirely closed by a sliding door 7. A coil spring 8 is provided, which is connected to the door and housing and is adapted to movethe door to closed position when unopposed. An opening for the discharge of the chips is provided in the lower portion of the housing, to which, in practice, a suction blower is connected.

The means for supporting the blankholder and for moving the same to and from the cutter will now be described A pivot rod 9 is mounted in a vertical position on an upright support 10 on the machine frame, said rod passing through lugs justed and a screw 14 being arranged in the lug 12 and extended into a longitudinal slot 15 in the rod, to permit vertical adjustment of the rod and prevent rotation thereof when adjusted. For the purpose of providing means for accurate vertical adjustment of said rod, a hand wheel 16 is threaded on the upper end thereof and engages the lug 11, said wheel being held in adjusted position by a locking pin 17 mounted in an arm 18 on the support 10.

The jack, or heel clamping mechanism, is carried on the pivot rod 9 and the vertical adjustment of the rod thus enables the work piece to be positioned at a desired distance from the axis of relative rotation of the work and cutter blades, which, in the illustrated machine, is the cutter axis itself. Generally speaking, the adjustments of the jack and cutter blades toward or from this axis are performed simultaneously when it is desired to alter the radius of curvature of the shank lip being formed. These adjustments also control the thickness of the shank lip formed so that these two adjustments, even when simultaneous, may not always be equal in amount.

Two horizontal supporting bars 20 and 22 are connected by a vertical bar 21 thereby forming a frame which is mounted to swing horizontally about thepivot rod 9 by means of brackets 24 and 25 which are rotatably mounted on said rod between collars 26, 27, and 28, 29 respectively, said bars being extended throug said brackets and clamped therein by set screws asindicated. The base 30 of the jack, or blank holder, is secured to the end of the bar 20 by means of a clamping rod 32, which extends through said base and through the bar, said rod having a head 33 at one end and a nut 34 threaded on the opposite end. Two pairs of wedges 35 and 36 are provided through which the rod 32 also passes, one pair being arranged between the head 33 and one side of the base 30, and one pair between the opposite side of the base and a flat face on the end of the bar 20, when the jack is to be held in parallel relation to the cutter axis, the wedges of each pair being arranged oppositely as shown in Figs. 2 and 12. This arrangement is particularly designed to permit adjustment of the base 30 if desired to an oblique position to either side of the straight position in which the breast surface is formed perpendicular to the middle vertical longitudinal plane of the heel, so that the surface which will be formed will be disposed at either oblique angle to said middle plane. To make this readjustment from the perpendicular position, the rod 32 is loosened and one of the wedges 36, whichis arranged next the base and is slotted to'permit removal as indicated in Fig. 4, is transferred from one side of the base to the other, as indicated in Fig. 14, so that when the rod is tightened and the parts are again clamped together, the base will be held in a position which is oblique to theperpendicular position of Fig.12, as indicated in Fig. 14, and, as a result the surfaces which are formed by the cutter blades 5 and will be oblique to the middle vertical longitudinal plane of the blank, as indicated in Fig. 8. The adj ustment shown in Fig. 14 is for a heel for a. left shoe, and a similar adjustment may be made for a right shoe by transferring two of the three wedges to the opposite side of the jack base, as will be apparent. The effect of cutting the breast groove in this way is to throw the inside of the breast backward relatively to the outside and thus to set it out of perpendieularity to the central longitudinal vertical plane of the heel. The extent of this adjustment may be varied by using wedges of different inclination, but in practice one adjustment to either side is all that is usually necessary, but it is necessary that the extent of adjustment to each side be exactly the same, and this is accomplished by using wedges of identically the same thickness and inclination. The advantage if these right and left heels has been already pointed out.

A dowel pin 37 is extended through all the Wedges to hold them in position while they are being clamped together. A brace 39 is connected to the outer end of the base 30 and tothe end of the lower bar 22 to hold the base more firmly against movement about the rod 32, and said brace may be employed to adjust the inclination of the jack base to some extent. A flat wooden plate 38 is supported on the base 30 of the ack and provides a direct support for the base surface of the heel blank, and a pair of positioning pins 40 are set into said base which extend through the plate 38 and are adapted to enter correspondingly arranged holes bored in the base of the heel blank, as indicated in Fig. 11. By thismeans the blanks are always positioned on the jack with relation to the posi tion of these holes, so that the breast surface which is formed thereon will be always formed in a certain relation to the holes. By employing similar positioning means in the subsequent operations of turning and doweling, uniform results are secured throughout the entire operation of forming the blank. For further information regarding this feature reference may be made to my Patent No. 1,514,174, issued Nov. 4, 1924. The plane of the center lines of the holes formed in the blank to receive the pins 40, is coincident with the middle vertical longitudinal plane of the finished heel blank, that is, the vertical plane with regard to which the lateral surface ofthe finished heel (after the turning gage a clamp member 44. A screw or pin 45' is also provided for holding the plate 38 from tilting downward at its rear end. The primary purpose of said plate 38 is to support the blank to prevent splintering at the end of the cut at the corner of the breast lip.

The means for moving the jack to and from the cutter, comprises a constantly driven worm shaft 48, which is journaled in arms 49 mounted to swing on a horizontal pivot shaft 52 mounted on the machine frame, said worm shaft having a pulley 54 thereon, driven from the source of power. A lever 56 is mounted on a pivot 57 in a bracket 58 on the machine frame, and has a gear segment 59 at its lower end arranged to be engaged with the worm of shaft 48. The upper end of said lever 57 is connected by a universal joint 59 to one end of a link 60 and the opposite end of said link is connected by a universal oint 62 to a bracket 64 secured on the upright bar 21 of the'swinging frame formed by bars20, 21 and 22. An operating lever 66 is mounted to swing on a ivot 68 and is provided with a cam faced pro ection 67, which is arranged to engage a finger 49' on one of the arms 49, to lift the worm shaft 48 into operative engagement with the gear segment 59, the arrange v ment being such that when the lever 66 is in its operative position, indicated in the full line position of Fig. 1, the finger 49' will rest on such a portion of the cam 64 that the worm shaft will be lifted into engagement with said segment.

A locking device for the lever 66 is provided, which comprises a shaft 70 mounted in a bracket 71, and having a projecting lug 72 thereon and a depending arm 73, which is arranged to be engaged by a finger 74 mounted on the upright bar,21 and adapted to be longitudinally adjusted by a screw 75, as

shown in Fig. 7. A spring 76 is connected to an arm 77 on the shaft 70 and acts to swing the lug 72 in front of or against the lever 66. The lever 66 is provided with a projection 66' the end of which is arranged to be engaged by the lug 72 to lock the lever in operative position. A spring 78 isconnected to the lever 66 and to the u right support 10. and acts to return the ever 66 to its inoperative position, when unlocked.

The sliding door 7 has a pair of arms 80 connected thereto and said arms are connected by a rod 82, which is arranged in position to be engaged by a pin 84 on the lever 66.

A stop screw 86 is arran ed in a bracket 87 on the support of the ta 1e 1, in position to engage the jack supporting frame member '21, to provide a positive limit for the inward feeding movement of said frame. The bar 22 of said frame is extended beyond the pivot rod 9 thereof, forming an arm 88, to which a cord 89 is attached, said cord being connected to a weight 90, and passing over a pulley 91, so that said weight may act to swing the frame outward.

The initial position ofthe parts is shown in Fig. 2, in'which position the jack carr ing frame has been swung away from t e housing which encloses the cutter and the opening in the housing has been closed by the door 7, so that, when the operator clamps a heel blank in the jack, he cannot possibly move his hands in contact with the cutter. The blank having been firmly clamped in position, the operator then pulls the lever 66 from the dotted line to the full line position of Fig. 1, causing the door 7 to be slid to one side of the opening in the housing, by means of the elements 82 and 84. At the same time, the cam 67 on the lever moves under the finger 49, lifting the arms 49, so that the constantly rotating worm shaft 48, carried thereby, is engaged with the gear segment 59 of lever 56. The shaft 48 is rotated in a direction to swing the upper end of the lever 56 rearward, so that it exerts a pull on the link 60, thereby causing the jack supporting frame also to be swun rearward, and the blank thereon to be carried through the opening in the-casing and into contact with the cutter. The grooving operation is then performed on the blank as the frame is swung rearward at a predetermined rateof speed. The pivot rod 9, about which the frame swings, is so arranged that, while the general direction of the curved path in which the blank is carried is generally in the direction of the axis of the cutter, the end portion thereof is exactly parallel thereto, and, at

. the end of the feeding movement, the middle longitudinal vertical plane of the heel will contain the cutter axis, provided the blank holder is set in its straight or middle position, to form a heel which is for either a right or left shoe. If the adjustment for a right or left heel is employed, then the middle longitudinal vertical plane of the heel will be slightly oblique to the vertical plane passing through the cutter axis, so that the breast surface which is formed will be slightly oblique to the middle longitudinal vertical plane of the heel, as already described. Under all conditions, the lip, or base portion of the heel, will be carried between the axis of the cutter head and the path of the cutting edges of the blades carried thereby, in a direction, during the time which the blades are operating on the blank, which is practically parallel to the cutter axis. When the lever 66 is moved to the limit of its operative movement, the

, lug 72, which has been held against the side end of projection 66' thereon and lock the lever against return movement by the spring '78. As the jack holding frame moves inward, the finger 74 thereon will engage the finger 7 3 when it has nearly reached the end of its rearward movement, thus tilting the 1 arm 70 is tilted sufliciently so that the lug 72 is disengaged from the lever 66, permitting the spring 78 to pull the lever back to its inoperative position. This movement withdraws the cam 67 from beneath finger 49, permitting the shaft 48 to swing down by gravity and become disengaged from the ear segment 59, so that further inward fee ing action on the blank will be prevented. As soon as the frame has been disconnected from the feeding means, the weight 90, which has been lifted during the feeding movement, will be free to swing the frame outward, so that it will be returned to its initial position. As soon as the lever 66 moves back to its initial position, the spring 8 acts to move the door 7 back to its original position, and, while the rapidity of action, in withdrawing the jack from the housing, is such that the door may not engage the jack before the latter is withdrawn, provision is made whereby the edge of the door may engage an abutment on the jack which will prevent closing movement of the door until the jack has been completely withdrawn. For this purpose a finger 92 may be provided on the jack, although any means carried by the jack supportin frame which provides a face against which t e front edge of the door may abut and which will be disengaged from the door during the latter portion of the return movement of the frame to its initial position, will serve the purpose. With this arrangement, the opening in the casing will be completely closed by the time the jack has been moved back to its initial position. The blank which has been operated on is then removed and another blank is clamped in position.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that themachine is entirely auto-- matic from the time the heel blank has been clamped in the jack and the operating lever is pulled forward, to start the feeding motion, to the time when the blank is removed, so that the o eration may be rapidly performed with per ectsafety to the operator, both in the matter of preventing accidental contact of the fingers with the cutter-blades and in preventing accident due to breaking or loosening of the blades from'the head.

It is thus apparent that the machine described performs automatically and simultaneously the four operations of grooving the breast, horizontally concaving the breast, convexing the lower surface of the lip, and trimming the edge of the lip, all of which, prior to the present invention, have been separately performed, at considerably greater expense than is now possible, and at substantial risk of inaccuracy in the' case of the convexing of the lip. All the surfaces of different curvatures are perfectly blended by the use of this invention.

Broadly speaking, the breast and lip surface is formed on the blank by the relative rotation of the heel blank and a cutting instrumentality about an axis which lies outside the blank is such a position that the at taching face of the heel lies between the axis and the tread face end or top-lift end of the blank. This axis extends generally in the direction of the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel, that is, generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of ,a shoe to which the heel is attached. In some of the claims this axis is defined as lying above the heel or blank, by which is meant that it is above the heel when the heel is in its normal position on a floor.

I claim:

1. In a machine for shaping heels, a rotary cutter head having a blade projecting axially beyond the surface of revolution generated b the remainder of the cutter head, and mova le in an annular path about the axis of said head, said blade having a cutting edge on the projecting edge portion thereof next said axis, so that said cutting edge forms an inner peripheral portion of said path, and heel holding means adapted and arranged to present the breast portion of a heel to said cutting edge, to form a transversely convex surface thereon corresponding in curvature to the path of said cutting edge.

2. In a machine for shaping heels,"a rotary cutter head having an axially projecting blade movable in an annular path about the axis of said head, said blade having a cutting edge on the projecting edge portion thereof next said axis, so that said cutting edge forms an inner peripheral portion of said path, and

a heel holder movable longitudinally of the axis of said head to present the breast portion of a heel to 'said edge in position to form a transversely convex surface thereon.

3. In a machine for shaping heels, a rotary cutter head having a blade thereon arranged to project axially therefrom at a distance from its axis and to move in an annular path about said axis, said blade having a cutting edge on the projecting edge-portion thereof next the said axis, so that said edge forms'an inner peripheral portion of said path, and a heel holder movable longitudinally of said axis to and from a position between said axis and the path of said cutting edge, to present the breast portion of a heel thereto in position to form a transversely convex surface thereon.

4. In a machine for shaping heels, a rotary cutter head having a blade projecting axially therefrom beyond the surface of revolution generated by the remainder of the cutter head,

at a distance from the axis thereof, so that said blade moves in an annular path about said axis, said blade having a cutting edge on the projecting edge-portionthereof next the axis and on the projecting end edge portion thereof, said edge extending continuously from one portion to the other so that it forms an inner peripheral portion and a side portion of said path corresponding in contour to the desired longitudinal contour of the heel breast from the base twards the tread end thereof, and heel-holding means movable to present the breast portion of a heel to said cutting-edge in position to form a transversely convex surface thereon which decreases in convexity from the base end towards the tread end.

5. In a madiine for shaping heels, a rotary cutter head having a radially disposed blade projecting axially therefrom beyond the surface of revolution generated by the remainder of the cutter head, at a distance from the axis thereof, whereby said blade describes an annular path about said axis, said blade having a cutting edge thereon, corresponding to the longitudinal contour of heel breast to be formed, and which extends continuously from a point on the edge-portion of the blade next the axis about its projecting end, to the outer edge thereof, whereby said edge describes a portion of the inner and outer periphery and the intermediate side of said path, and heel holding means movable to present the breast portion of a heel to said cutting edge in radial relation to said path, with its portion adjacent its base nearest the axis, thereby to form thereon a continuous surface comprising a transversely convex portion at the base end, a transversely concave portion at its opposite end and a flat transversely intermediate portion. 7

6. In a machine for making wood heels of the type described, a rotary cutter head having an axially projecting blade provided with a radially extendln cutting edge at its end corresponding to t e longitudinal contour of the heel breast surface to be formed, a jack having heel-blank-holding means, means to move the jack in a predetermined path to carry the blank into position to be operatively engaged by said blade, and means permitting ad ustment of said holding means from a normal position, in which the blank is so held that its middle longitudinal plane is co-- incident with an axial plane of the cutter to a position in which its said longitudinal iii) plane intersects said axial plane at an oblique angle thereto.

7. In a machine for making wood heels of the type described, a rotary cutter head having an axially projecting blade provided with a radially extending cutting edge at its end corresponding to the longitudinal contour of the heel breast surfaoe'to be formed, a jack having heel-blank-holding means, means to move the jack in a predetermined path to carry the blank into position to be operatively engaged by said blade, and means permitting adjustment of said holding means-from an intermediate position in which the blank is so held that its middle longitudinal plane is coincident with an axial plane of the cutter to positions at either side of said intermediate positions in which said longitudinal plane will intersect the axial plane at a predetermined oblique angle.

8. In a machine for making wood heels, a rotary cutter, a heel blank holder mounted to move from an initial position to carry the blank into position to be operated on by the cutter, power actuated feeding means normally disengaged from said holder, operating means movable to engage said feeding means with the holder to move the same into operative relation with the cutter, means to disengage said feeding means and the holder at a predetermined point in the travel thereof, and means operative to return the holder to initial position when disengaged from the feeding means.

9; In a machine for making wood heels, a cutter mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis, a support mounted to swing about a vertical axis at one side of the cutter axis, a heel blank holder on said support arranged to carry the blank into operative relation with the cutter when the support is swung towards the same, power operated feeding means normally disengaged from said frame, operating means for engaging said feeding means therewith to swing the support towards the cutter, means to disengage said feeding means from said support at a predetermined point, and automatic means to swing the support away from the cutter.

10. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable cutter head havin a cuter mounted thereon, and a work-hol er movable lengthwise of the axis of said cutter head and adapted when moved toward said cutter head to position the shank portion of the breast of a heel between the path of said cutter and the axis of said head to cause said cutter to give to the outer side of said shank portion a transversely convex shape.

11. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable cutter head provided with a cutter projecting from one face thereof; and a work-holder movable lengthwise of the axis of said cutter head toward and from said face, and adapted when moved toward said cutter head to position the shank portion of the breast of a heel between the path of said cutter and the axis of said head to cause said cutter to give to the outer side of said shank portion a transversely convex shape.

12. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a cutter, and Illt?(ll anism .for relatively moving the jack and the 1 cutter to form on a heel blank held in the jack a portion of a surface of revolution of predetermined curvature in a plane perpendicular to its axis of revolution, the heel-seat portion of the blank lying between the toplift porgfon and the axis of revolution of said surace. I

13. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a cutter, and mechanism for relatively moving the jack and the cutter to form on a heel blank held in the jack a portion of a surface of revolution, the heel-seat portion of the blank lying between the toplift portion and the axis of revolution of said surface, the said axis being parallel to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel blank, and means for adjusting the distance between the said axes at will.

14. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a cutter, and mechanism for relatively moving the jack and the cutter to generate on the breast portion and lip of a blank held in the jack a portion of a surface of revolution equivalent to that formed by revolving the desired breast-lip profile at a longitudinal central vertical section of the desired heel about an axis lying parallel to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel and on that side of the heel breast portion which is opposite to the toplift portion, and means for adjusting the distance between said heel breast portion and said axis to make the curvature of the lip surface correspond to that of the shank of the shoe to which the heel is to be attached.

15. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a tool, and mechanism for relatively moving the jack and the tool, said relative movement comprising a revolution about an axis lying parallel to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel blank, on the other side of the heel seat portion therefrom, the distance from the said axis to the heel breast portion of the blank being adjustable to control the curvature of the 'cutter to generate on a blank a lip surface convex toward the toplift ortion and composed of an aggregate of circular arcs lying in parallel vertical planes and having their centers lying on that side of the heel-seat portion of the heel blank which is opposite to the toplift portion, the centers of the arcs lying on a line parallel to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel, and means for adjusting the distance of the said line from the heel-seat portion of the blank.

18. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a tool, and mechanism for relatively moving the Jack and the tool to generate a continuous breast and lip surface composed of an aggregate of circular arcs, lying in parallel vertical planes and having their centers on a line which is perpendicular to these planes, and which lies above the heel-seat portion of the heel blank, at an adjustable distance approximately equal to any desired radius of curvature of the lip, and which BXbeIlfbS generally in the direction if 1the longitudi al horizontal axis of the 19. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a tool shaped and mounted to form on the heel blank a lip surface which is convex toward the toplift portion of the heel, means for varying the radius of convexity of the lips of different heels to fit that of the shank of the shoe to which the heels are to be attached, and means for relatively moving the blank and the tool.

20. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a revolving cutter blade generating a surface of revolution, means for relatively moving the blank and the surface of revolution to form on the blank a convex lip portion, and means for varying the radius of curvature of the lip portion of different heels. 0 v

21. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a revolving cutter blade generating a surface of revolution, means for relatively moving the blank and the surface of revolution to form on the blank a continuous breast and lip surface of revolution, and means for varying the distance of its axis from the heel-seat portion of the blank.

22. In a, machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a revolving cutter blade generating a surface of revolution, means for relatively moving the blank and the surface of revolution to form on the blank a surface of revolution having its axis lying above the heel-seat portion of the blank, and means for varying the location of the said axis relatively to the heel seat portionof the blank.

23. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for .holding a heel blank, a revolving tool generating a surface of revolution,*means for relatively moving the blank and the surface of revolution to form on the blank a combined breast and lip surface formed as a surface of revolution having its axis parallel to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the heel blank, and mechanism for varying the dis- 'tance between these "axes to control the curvature of the lip surface.

24. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of .a rotatable internal cutter head; a work holder disposed crosswise of the axis of said head and pivotally supported 'at a point offset at one side of said axis so that one end of said holder is movable toward and from the cutter ,head, and a heel -holding clamp on said work holder by which a heel is held and positioned on the work holder whereby its shank lip is caused to enter said internal cutter head when the work holder is. swung toward the latter.

, 25. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotatable internal cutter head; a work holder disposed crosswise of the axis ofsaid head and pivotally supported at a point offset at one sideof said axis so that one end of said holder is movable toward and from the cutter head; a work holding clamp on said work holder, by which the work is held and positioned on the work holder whereby the shank lip formed thereon is caused to enter said internal cutter head when the work holder is swung toward the to form a continuous breast-lip surface on a blank held in the jack and to trim the lip.

28. In a machine for cutting heels, a jack for holding a heel blank, a cutting instru--- mentality arranged and shaped to form a lip surface on a blank in the jack, and a cutter arranged to trim the lip, and means for relatively moving the jack and the cutting instrumentality.

29. In a machine for making heels, a tool and a block holder arranged for relative movement in a direction oblique to the central longitudinal vertical plane of a blank carried in the holder to form a breast surface on the blank oblique to the saidcentral longitudinal vertical plane of the blank.

30. In a machine for making heels, a tool and a block holder arranged for relative movement in a direction oblique to the cen-.

tral longitudinal vertical plane of a blank carried in the holder to form a breast-lip surface on the blank oblique to the said central longitudinal vertical plane of the blank.

31. in a machine for making heels, a tool and a block holder arranged for relative movement in a direction oblique to the central longitudinal vertical plane of a blank carried in the holder to form a breast-lip surface on the blank oblique to the said central longitudinal vertical plane of the blank, and means for trimmingthe lip similarly oblique to thecentral longitudinal vertical plane of the blank.

32. In a machine for making heels, a tool and a heel blank holder, means on the holder for engaging a gage point indicating the position of the central longitudinal vertical plane of a blank, and means for relatively moving the blank and the tool in a direction oblique to the said central longitudinal vertical plane'to' form a breast surface on the blank oblique to said central longitudinal vertical plane.

33. Ina machine for making heels, a tool and a heel blank holder, means on the holder for engaging a gage point indicating the position of theOcentral longitudinal vertical plane of a blank, and means for relatively moving the blank and the tool to form a breast surface on the blank oblique to said central longitudinal plane.

34. In a machine for making heels, a tool 'and a heel blank holder, means on'the holder for engaging a gage point indicating the position of the central longitudinal vertical plane of a blank, and means for relatively moving the blank and the tool in a direction oblique to the said centrallongitudinal vertical plane to form and trim a lip surface on the blank oblique to said central longitudinal vertical plane.

35. In a machine for making heels, a tool, a heel blank holder,means for relatively moving the tool and holder to form a surface of revolution on the shanlf-lip of a heel blank held in the holder, the axis of said surface being located above the heel-seat portion of the blank, and means for adjusting the distance of'the blank from the said axis to control the curvature of the surface.

36. In a machine for making heels, :1. tool rotating to generate a surface of revolution, a clamping mechanism for a heel blank, and mechanism for effecting a relative rotation of the said surface of revolution and a blank held in the clamping mechanism about an axis of rotation located above the heel-seat portion of the blank and for supporting different heel blanks at different distances from the said axis of rotation.

37. In a machine for making heels, 'a'tool rotating'to generate a surface of revolution, a clamping mechanism for a heel blank, and mechanism for effecting a relative rotation of the said surface of revolution and a blank held in the clamping mechanism about an axis of'rotation located above the heel-seat portion of the blank, said mechanism having provision for supporting different heel blanks at different distances from the said axis of rotation.

' 38. In a heel cutting machine, a heel blank holder and a rotating cutter head, and means for relatively moving the cutter head and the holder to form the heel breast surface and the lea shank lip surface and to trim the end of the shank lip of a heel blank in the holder.

39. In a heel cutting machine, a heel blank holder and a rotating cutter head, and means for relatively moving the cutter head and the holder to form the heel breast surface and to trim the end of the shank lip of a heel blank in the holder.

40. In a heel cutting machine, a heel blank holder and a rotating cutter head having a blade shaped to form a compound heel breast and shank lip surface on a heel blank held in the holder and a blade arranged to trim the endof the shank lip of the heel blank, and means for relatively moving the cutter head and the work.

41. A .machine for grooving heel blocks, comprising a heel block holding member, and a rotary work shaping member having a convexly curved breast cutting face, one of said members being movable past the other in a curved path lying in a plane arranged transverse to the axis of the work shaping member to cause the work member to form as the initial heel shaping operation upon said heel block a vertically and transversely grooved heel breast.

42. A machine for grooving heel blocks, comprising a heel block holding member, and a rotary work shaping member having a convexly curved breast cutting face, one of said members being movable past the other in a curved path transverse to the axis of the work shaping member to cause the work member to form as the initial heel shaping operation upon said heel block a vertically and transversely grooved heel breast, said ooved breast constituting a com le-ted surace for use as a gauging and bloc positioning surface in subsequent heel shaping operations on said block.

43. A machine for grooving heel blocks comprising a work holding member, a rotary work shaping member having a convexly curved cutting edge arranged to form a groove transversely of the breast of the heel block when movement is imparted to one of said members relatively to the other, and means for eifectingmovement of one-of said -members past the other in a curved path 44. In a wood heel cutting machine, a heel blank holder, a cutter blade having a'curved cutting edge lying substantially in a plane and shaped to pass over the'breast and shank lip portions of a heel blank in the holder to produce a compound breast and shank lip angle, at the point of cut, to the surface being cut.

45. In a machine for cutting heels, a j acking instrumentality for holding a heel blank, a cutting instrumentality, a member rotatable about an axis and supporting one of said in strumentalities, and means for relatively moving the said instrumentalities about said axis to form simultaneously a breast curve and a lip in a blank held in the jack and at the same time to trim the lip.

46. In a heel breasting machine, a cutting instrumentality, a jacking instrumentality arranged to hold a heel blank with its breast face toward said cutting instrumentality, a member carrying one of said instrumentalities and arranged to rotate about an axis located outside of a heel blank in the jacking instrumentality, with the attaching face of the heel blank lying between the said axis and the top-lift end of the heel blank, means for efiectin a relative rotation of said cutting and jac 'ng instrumentalities about said axis to carry the cutting instrumentality relatively across the breast face of the heel blank,'and mechanism for ad'usting the distance of the attaching face 0 the heel blank from said axis.

47. In a heel breastin machine, a cutting instrumentality, a jacking instrumentality arranged to hold the heel blank with its breast face toward said cutting instrumentality, a member carrying one of said instrumentalities and arranged to rotate about an axis located outside of a heel blank in the jacking instrumentality, with the attaching face of the heel blank lying between the said axis and the top-lift end of the heel blank, means for effecting a relative rotation of said cutting and jacking. instrumentalities about said' axis to carry the cutting instrumentality relatively across the breast face of the heel blank, and mechanism for adjusting the distance of the attaching face of the heel blank and of the cutting instrumentality from said axis.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

. HARLEY W. RUSS.

surface thereon, and means for supporting and rotating the cutter blade with the plane of its cutting edge at substantially acute CERTIFlCATE or CORRECTION.

*Patent No. 1,846,615; v a Granted Fem-1 3,19 to HARLEY w. Russ.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed speciiicatimi of the 1 above-numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 7, line 40, claim 5, strike out the word'"flat" and insert the same to follow theword "transversely." in same line and claim; and that the said Letters Patent should-be read with this correction therein that the s amefmay 'contorin to the record of the case in the Patent Office. I I I A Signed sealed this 5th day of April, A. D. l932.-

' Moore; v

(Seal) I Q Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

